The Weight Lifter

Thursday, October 26, 2006

(Low Cal + (6011 min Warbiking)) * 3 Months = -41 Pounds : The Wrapup


(Me and the Warbiking setup)

So, overall it went very well. I lost a bunch of weight (41 actual pounds / 15% of body weight) in a fairly short time. While I hit a couple of very rough spots, over all things went well. From all I have read, 41 pounds in three months is really pushing it - any more than that would have been unhealthy.

I really think a lot of this had to do with my doing Cardio while playing Warcraft. Here's the original post where I thought it up.

One of the bad parts of Warcraft is it can really suck you in - I tend to loose track of time and get pretty unaware of anything but the game (and it's addictive as hell!).

One of the bad parts of doing Cardio (to me, at least) is that it is VERY boring, so I tend to be very aware of how much I'm not enjoying it and how slow time seems to get. And I hate doing it!

So, Warbiking is the best of both worlds. I get to do 2+ hours of cardio without being aware that I'm really doing it. And as I can only play Warcraft while doing cardio (that's a self imposed rule - no cardio, no Warcraft), it's self regulating - no way am I going to play for 6 hours or something, my legs wouldn't do it. Yeah, I know, I hit 4.5 hours one insane Sunday afternoon, but I won't be doing that again any time soon :)

The only hard part was to keep pushing the cardio so it was doing something, while playing. It was interesting to see how the game impacted the cardio - when it was slow, the cardio toned down if I didn't watch it. If things got crazy (as in, I ended up running for my life in the game) I would end up peddling really fast on the bike (LOL, I know, kinda weird - YOU try it and see what you do!). I did find that listening to music helped - AfterhoursDJs.org kept me going most times!

I also think the weekly Golds weigh-ins helped a lot; it added a lot of focus, as I had to go in and have someone else weigh me - at some subconscious level, I didn't want to "loose" (e.g., not be at or lower than the week before), and because someone else would be aware of the "win/loose", it helped.

100 hours of Warbiking in 3 months has taken it's toll - my legs are pretty fried. As in constant ache. So, I'm going to take a full week off from ALL exercise. That's unusual for me, as before Warbiking I would normally lift 5-6 days a week with a bit of Cardio thrown in (and I've been doing that for a couple of years now). Once that week is up, I'll be continuing the diet and Warbiking (want to loose at least another 20 pounds), and will go back to Max-OT or BFL.

And then I'll go back to my crazy-ass weightlifting/bulking, Mwahaha! Hehe, I theorized I could do 640 plate loaded row, but my lower spine seemed to be ready to just POP out at 540, so didn't do it. Maybe I'll hit that next time around!

Anyway - it's been a blast, in it's own miserable tired/starving/fried way. Give me a tell sometime (VorRata on Elune and VorRata on Uther), or drop a note here if ya have any questions.

Here's a couple of pics of the setup:
The bike is a Schwinn 213 Recumbent Exercise Bike. The keyboard is strapped on to the main display (I can lift the front to get to the controls). The mouse is on a little table that's the perfect height (took a while to find).


The Main LCD TV is a Samsung LN-S4695D 46" 1080p LCD HDTV. It has a 6000:1 contrast, which rocks when playing games.

It is connected to the XPS Gen 2 Laptop via a DMI jack (8 MS refresh on the LCD - good god, it's AMAZING playing on a screen that size), with a fairly high end video card, which is able to run Warcraft with the highest settings (except res, as the LCD only goes up to 1024, the only down side).

54 Comments:

  • At 4:17 PM, Blogger Tony Franco said…

    Continuing with the same idea, try attaching a carrot to the end of a long stick and then dangle the stick in front of yourself. I have found it a very effective motivational technique in my fitness work with donkeys and it might work for you.

     
  • At 4:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Can u put something up, like a video of you actually doing this. This is a great idea.. and i do play WoW.. and would like to lose weight as well...i useto be about 150 pounds now im about 205-210...If you could email me a link if you do decide to do this, that would be great paoloacca@comcast.net

     
  • At 4:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You are my hero! I hope you continue with your fitness success! You should patent this idea!

     
  • At 4:26 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    holy crap dude, you're a genius....mad props for that

     
  • At 4:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Dude! U R a genius!!!

    I have no time to play video games and managed to convince the wife that she will benefit from a slimmer, fitter husband from this idea.

    I get to play WoW, I get to lose weight effortlessly (You are so right about not enjoying cardio and I always notice that time seems to stand still) and my wife will have a husband who wont get winded in the missionary.

    How about franchising a fitness center for geeks? Different Nautilus like machines with different FPS games.

    Papa Chango

     
  • At 5:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    good work, you should be proud of yourself... but i have one question...

    how much did that monitor cost!?!?!%^&*?

     
  • At 5:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Congratulations on reaching your goals! That's something to be very proud of.

     
  • At 6:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey man, congratulations. This is a great idea, and you executed it very well.

    And pay no attention to Massive delts, as he obviously seems like a douche who is jealous that he hadn't thought of something this good!

     
  • At 6:09 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Regarding your tired legs: I'm not qualified in the field or anything, but if you have been on a fast and biking this much, you are likely feeling the effects of your decreased protein intake. As in, your torn muscles have nothing with which to repair themselves.

    Since you are used to lifting, you really shouldn't be having so much difficulty with recovery from the aerobic side.

    Just a thought. Congrats!

     
  • At 6:17 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    Thanks for the positive comments - loosing (and keeping off) weight has also been a problem for me, and this has helped - and I believe will continue to help.

    The LCD was around 3k. I bought it as my big screen TV (saved for a long time for it - prices finally came down this summer!) - the Warbiking came later. The XPS2 actually cost more, as it is 100% loaded - I use to program (last year + of StationRipper coding has been off of it) and gaming (being able to do both in one box takes a bit :)

    I agree on the leg thing - the fast was only a week, but the last month was getting tough. I just think that doing 2-4 hours of cardio a day just gets to you. I really needed to take a break - but I was in a contest (the Golds Gym thing), so figured I'd keep going. Saying that, it took three days for me to want to get back on the bike :) (as in - legs feel great now)

    gibbie:

    I actually DO have much larger goals - this was just a three month cut. Scroll down a bit :) I have been lifting weights on a regular basis (doing BFL, Max-OT, and BFL) along with cardio and a large change in diet. I've had some sharp gains in both muscle massive and strength.

    massive delts:

    Yes, but I'd figure out how to get the carrot too quick to do any good. Granted, it would be a healthy snack, but that's about it....

     
  • At 4:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey, awesome work! my bf is looking into doing this, and we were wondering... do you have any thoughts about strapping a laptop instead of a keyboard - to the bike control panel? we both play WoW on laptops, and think having the trackpad next to the keyboard would be great, instead of a mouse on a table... any comments on functionality? or, did your keyboard fall off very much? having a lappy crash to the floor would be bad... anyhoo, just wondering if you had some feedback for us wow-biking n00bs. ^_^ keep up the great work! Kel

     
  • At 4:25 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    FOR THE HORDE!!!

     
  • At 4:45 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    Well, I originally looked at doing a laptop - but the XPS is big, and the control panel on the bike is at a sharp angle, sooo..

    I did find the keyboard would slip at times - I used a wire - wrapped it around the bike and the keyboard. And taped the keyboard cable to the bike, so the pedels didn't rip it out of the laptop (that happened once) and then got a USB port to hook to the laptop (more cable lengtht + less change of a snag killing the laptop).

    So I personally wouldn't put the laptop on it directly, unless it's small and light, or you can REALLY secure it - dropping it would likely kill it.

     
  • At 5:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Did anyone else notice that this noob has his sweet LCD set for a non-widescreen resolution? In my opinion anyone who doesn't know this doesn't deserve a screen that cool. Noob.

     
  • At 6:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    A friend sent this link to me because he thought it was funny. i actually has the same idea, and about a month ago i was in a sports store, and I saw a bike that would actually fin under my desk. It was a very simple design, with the display very low to the ground. It was inexpensive, easy to move, and silent when operating. i bought it and have been using it ever since. Im down 8 lbs. in the last month. I also work out at the gym, but I hate cardio. Plus, since its so light, if I'm not not playing WoW, I just turn it around and watch a movie while biking. overall a great idea and it has worked well for me. Good luck to all who try this.

     
  • At 6:20 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    Hi Anon,

    It's actually set at 1360x768.

     
  • At 8:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Congratulations on your success! Did you ever think about using something like this?

     
  • At 8:06 AM, Blogger Greg said…

    I looked at few things, including something like the gamercycle.

    I ended up going with what I did, as I wanted a fairly high-end bike that was great in and of itself. And I had all the peices needed to make my own version of this, so didn't see spending the extra cash :)

     
  • At 9:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I like the painting in main pic - who did it?

     
  • At 9:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I really think this is a good idea. I had a similar idea back when I played Ultima Online, but never got it started (no room for a bike in my space) Glad to see its working for you. I may try the same. Grats!

     
  • At 11:22 AM, Blogger Greg said…

    Actually, it's one of mine

    I've been painting since '91, and show in the Columbia, SC area.

     
  • At 12:34 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey Greg,

    I am planning on buying the exact same setup as you (the Samsung HDTV and the Dell XPS M1210 laptop). You mentioned you could only crank up WoW to 1024 because "LCD only goes up to 1024". You mean the laptop only goes up to 1024, or the HDTV. Cause I looked at the specs of the HDTV and it can go up to 1920, and the laptop 1280. Is it something else?

     
  • At 12:37 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    The monitor is actually set at 1360x768. I will update the blog, as people keep noticing that :)

    That's the Max that the computer will allow me it to - I haven't played around to see if it can go to more. To be honest, in order to read chat text and such, that Res works pretty good.

     
  • At 12:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    lol, columbia south carolina?? small world, i live there! what golds do you work out at!?!?

     
  • At 1:31 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    LOL, yeah, small world :)

    I go to the new Columbiana Point Golds. Which if you live in the area, I HIGHLY recommend it. One of the biggest, and generally a good place to workout.

     
  • At 1:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I had this idea a couple months back except with a treadmill. Never did get around to it though. Awesome idea. I am totally copying this idea! Where did you get the table btw, and what keyboard did you use/how did you strap it in?

     
  • At 2:44 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    I *THINK* this is it. Was a real pain to find - but works perfect; when I'm on the bike, my arm naturually rests at the height of the table.

    The keyboard is a Saitek Eclipse

    The keys glow, which is great. And it has some angles on each corner that allowed me to tie it down tight.

    I just used a keyboard extension cable to do the tying :) Anything long and non-slippery should do the trick.

     
  • At 4:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hi Greg

    Congrats on the fantastic progress! Awesome way to stay motivated with the cardio. I'll second the recommendation for HIIT training if you are looking to really get lean - it works very well and can be a lot of fun.

    Few questions:
    - whats your body fat progression been?
    - are you shooting to reach a certain bf level, or moreso strength goals?
    - where are the deadlift and squat numbers?? =)
    - no before/after pics?

     
  • At 4:41 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Now why didn't I think of this!Usually in other games I would do situps or pushups during the load times but this is great!
    -Ashmole

     
  • At 7:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Great Idea, I did the same thing playing my PS2/Gran Tourismo game in front of my Toshiba 65" HDTV. I was training for a triathlon. You will indeed pedal faster in straight aways and slower on turns. It's a mind game thing and no doubt affects many others similarly. I did my cycling on an upright cycle and I could see the whole screen. How do you see your WOW game from your recumbent cycle? It appears the Keyboard is right at your eye level??? Just wondering.

     
  • At 1:05 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    rob:

    BF went from around 30% to 21%. I would like to be mid-teens, along with more strength. I am currently debating if I should go back to BFL or Max-OT. I love Max-OT, but not sure if I want to head back to max weights right now.

    I do LIGHT deadlifts and very light squats - which sucks. I had major surgery on my knee years ago, so I have to be very careful on doing anything heavy that hits it.

    Anon:

    I am at a slight angle from the screen, so I can just see the entire thing. But yeah, if I was directly in front, I wouldn't be able to see it as the top of the bike is high.

     
  • At 2:16 PM, Blogger Matt said…

    That's an awesome idea!! BTW, is that a Saitek keyboard with blue under-key lights?! It looks just like mine! Good luck...

     
  • At 4:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Great idea Greg. And better than that, great discipline and execution. I think you have found the perfect balance of motivation in life. Keep up the good work!

     
  • At 7:39 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    Matt:

    Yep, it's a Saitek. Great little keyboard. Handles sweat just fine :)

    Kevin:

    Looks very cool - why don't you send me a a comp version of the one you're releasing next year, and I'll be a spokesperson for ya, if I like it :)

    Anon:

    Thanks! Still doing it, even though a bit less. I'm back to heavy lifting again, and doing 1-1.5 hours a day Warbiking, 5-6 days a week. Biggest issue with the lesser amount is the temptation to play WoW without biking!

     
  • At 5:19 AM, Blogger Moby Dick said…

    Pretty cozy set-up. I find it hard to work out at home. The temptation is too great to just play the game without peddling on the bike.

     
  • At 5:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I agree with Anonymous.

    p.s. such a big monitor and only one visible action bar? u must be a rogue...

     
  • At 10:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    "Such a big monitor and only one action bar"

    That's because though large, his monitor has crappy resolution for gaming. I can't argue with using it for this application because you need some size to be able to play at such a distance. However, I play on a 24" widescreen at 1920x1600 and I assure you the resolution is optimal for gaming.

    I also ride about 250 miles a week (outdoors, upright roadbike) and it does cut into my WoW playing to the tune of not really playing WoW any more. However, it's hard to grind out a 5 mile 8% grade climb on a stationary bike while running BWL for example.

    In any case, props to you for coming up with this idea.

     
  • At 11:33 AM, Blogger Tina said…

    I've been doing the same thing since the beta of Asheron's Call, around 2000? Since then, I've ridden thru the regular AC, AC2, ToonTown, City of Heroes, and now, World of Warcraft.

    My set up is much lower key though. I'm riding a Schwinn Airdyne with the arms removed, and my computer desk is up on cinder blocks to accomodate the height of the big wheel in front.

    I usually ride 3-5 times a week, and anywhere from an hour to 3, depending on what my character is doing in game!

    I also lost weight, about 40 lbs., but I also belong to a weight loss support group called TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly). The bike alone did not do enough to help me lose the weight.

    I've maintained my loss for 4 years now, and that's mostly due to the support group, I think.

    Kudos on your dedication & success, and great minds think alike!

     
  • At 1:51 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    I actually have all of them on the bottom (2) and the one on the left - not sure why I only had one showing.

    From what I can tell, the LCD CAN go to 1920x1600. The problem is the XPS2 - I don't have drivers to pump it up that high :(

     
  • At 2:50 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    If it can SUPPORT 1080i or 1080p so it can downconvert 1900x1080 signal but that does not mean the native resolution is 1900x1080. That's what I was getting at.

     
  • At 2:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Wow.. just WOW! literally. I'm a wow'er also and thought this was a highly creative way to handle things. Congrats on how far you've come. I might drop you a tell sometime and tell you myself.

    -A Feathermooner

     
  • At 12:16 PM, Blogger Karina Fabian said…

    This is what I started doing, only my set-up is more low-tech. I have my laptop set up on my ironing board and I walk in place as I do my e-mail or join in chat groups. I find I can't do it while working on my novels. I generate more typos, but my legs are in great shape.

    Keep up the good work!

    Karina Fabian
    editor, Infinite Space, Infinite God

     
  • At 11:46 AM, Blogger atrophic said…

    loose != lose

     
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  • At 5:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Someone told me about this, but I didn't think it existed. Awesome idea!

     
  • At 3:17 PM, Anonymous Derek said…

    Great idea. So great I had to steal it, of course. Check out my setup at http://www.wowbiking.com/ I gave you credit at the bottom for the original idea. :)

     
  • At 5:10 PM, Blogger Greg said…

    @Derek

    Cool! You've got a nice setup.

    Having the keyboard on the bike got old (could come loose), and I should have put a game pad on it (instead of a full keyboard).

    I had thought about building a "desk", but the Bike I went with was too tall without really ripping it apart (and it rocks; glad I got it - still use it weekly!)

     
  • At 8:16 PM, Blogger kobazoki said…

    What??? I never thought of someone used stationary bikes with their computer like that. Can you really type and use the mouse while riding your recumbent bike? Wouldn't it put stress on your back (I'm thinking you'll have to lean forward a bit). Have you tried using one of those mini exercise bikes instead that you can easily put under your desk? You can see a picture of that here http://www.dogengine.com/used-stationary-bikes.php just thought of sharing :)

     
  • At 7:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Great article. The best results in weight loss via physical activity (and a clean diet of course) is finding a physical activity that you enjoy. You typically excel in things you enjoy, as you no longer really view it as "work". I have been training like you have since 2004. I have photos that can be viewed here: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/blacksuperman/

     
  • At 10:18 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey guys just wanted to share my experience with you guys, I followed the instructions on www.lessenfat.com and it helped me alot. I lost 30 pounds in 45 days. I highly recommend you guys try it.

     
  • At 2:12 PM, Anonymous Weight Loss Pills said…

    I've really enjoyed having a look around your blog today, keep up the good work!

     
  • At 8:17 PM, Anonymous MuscleJesusAbs said…

    Jesus man, that is hilarious. I was like wtf, are my eyes deceiving me??? I wonder how that would work with starcraft II?

     

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